Depurator.



No. 735,591. I PATBNTED AUG. 4, 1903.-

, L. H. RICHARDS,

DEPURATOR.

APPLIGATIQN FILED 0OT.4, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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I No. 735,591. 'PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

L. H. RICHARDS. DEPURATOR.

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I as I v I YHE NDRMS PETERS CO PHOTO-L (NO WASNWGTON D C Quota;

LLOYD H. RICHARDS,

Patented'August 4, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

OF EL PASO/TEXAS.

DE PURATOR,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,591, dated August4, 1903.

Application filed October 4, 1902.

T0 or whom/it may concern: 7

Be itknown that I, LLOYD H. RICHARDS, a citizenoftheUnitedStates,residing atElPaso, in the county of El Paso and Stateof Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDepurators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear,and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved vacuum apparatus for medicinalpurposes; and it has for its object the provision of a hollow casingdesigned to .be secured around the body or the parts to be treatedv in amanner which will be as nearly as possible air-tight, in combinationwith means for exhausting the air from within the chamber in the casingto create a vacuum therein surrounding the body or parts being treated.

With the above-noted ends in view I have constructed a casing withseparable sections to facilitate the adjustment of the casing todifierent sizes. The topand bottom of the casing are provided withclosures possessing peculiar characteristics, as will more fullyhereinafter appear, which enable the parts to be fitted securely aroundthe body to prevent access of the external atmospheric pressure thereto.Instrumentalities are also provided for securing the apparatus to anextraneous support when in use to relieve the person of the burdenincident to carrying the weight of the apparatus.

Novel details will be apparent from the appended detailed descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming partthereof,jand wherein a preferable embodiment of the invention isdelineated for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings like reference characters refer to corresponding partsin the several views, of which-'- Figure 1 is a front elevation of thecomplete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar rear elevation. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective viewsshowing, respectively, thetop and bottom closures of-the casing, theyoke and skirt sections being removed; and Figs. 6 and 7 are detailviews.

Referring now more specifically to the d raw- Serial no. 125,929. (Nomodel.)

ings,.A A designate similar sections, the one telescoping with theother, so that they may be contracted or separated to form various sizesof casings. .The generalcont'our of these sections is immaterial,although I have found the shape shown to be practical and convenient-4e., oblong in cross-section, slightly rounded at the ends. To form anair-tight joint between the sections irrespective of their positionrelative to each other, I provide at the edge of one of the sections,preferably the outer, an elastic belt or gasket B. According to the useto which the apparatus is put the upper section may or may not beprovided with short sleeves O, the ends of which are provided withelastic, so that the same will closely embrace the arms of the user toprevent ingress of air for reasons heretofore given. The bottom of thecasing is formed of two-similar flat curved pieces at (1, adapted tooverlap at their adjacent ends, so that they may be readily adjusted tofit around the lower portion of the body, or the like, of the user, anopening D being formed. by said pieces therebetween for the reception ofthe body. The pieces of the bottom may be of any desired material; butthey are provided on their upper surfaces with rubber or other packing,against which the lower edge of the casing seats, the sections beingbound to said edge through the medium of straps and buckles D, as willbe apparent. The inner edges of the sections are faced with rubberarranged to contact with the body.

The top E ofthe casing is formed of the same material as the bottom, isfaced on its ing 6 is lined around its exposed inner edge with rubber orother packing material.

To add to the general appearance of the apparatus and further insureagainst the admission of air to the interior thereof, I provide ayoke-section F and a skirt-section G, both formed of suitable non-porousflexible material, preferably a composition rubber fabric. Thesesections each have a central opening for the passage of the body andneck, said openings being represented at fand g, respectively, and theyare formed with elastic edges f g surrounding the openings in order thatthe sections may adjust themselves to the user and make close contact.To secure the yoke and skirt sections in place, the inner edges of thesame are also formed with elastic, as at f g", and said edges arearranged to fit into peripheral grooves a a in the easing-sections A A.

By the arrangement and constr'uction described it will be seen that thevarious portions of the apparatus are readily adjustable and detachablefor purposes of removal and otherwise and that when the same is properlyapplied to the body of the user the chamber within the casing andsurrounding the body will be practically air-tight. To exhaust the airinitially contained within the chamber to produce a vacuum therein, Iprovide one of the sections of the casing-in the present instance thesection A'with an exhaust-pump H, Fig. 1.

To support the weight of the apparatus when in use, the rear surfacethereof is provided with a holder K, adapted to engage any convenientsupport. The user will ordinarily utilize the apparatus when seated in achair, so the holder is of a character designed to engage over the backof a chair. Specifically, the same comprises two elongated vertical arms7;, passing through guides or sleeves k on the sections A A. Each sleeveis provided with a thumb-screw adapted to impinge upon the arms to lockthe holder and sections in place after adjustment. At their upper endsthe arms are connected to a depending approximately U-shaped portion70', arranged intermediate of the same and adapted to slip over the backofachairin an obvious manner.

It is to be understood that slight changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatuswithout in the least departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A vacuum apparatus comprising telescopic sections adapted to surroundthe body and arranged to be adjusted longitudinally the one within theother to vary the height of the apparatus,an air-tight connectionbetween the sect-ions, means whereby the air may be exhausted from theinterior of the apparatus, and sleeves carried by the upper section,said sleeves being of elastic character, substantially as described.

2. A vacuum apparatus comprising telescopic sections, an air-tightconnection between the sections, means whereby the air may be exhaustedfrom the interior of the apparatus, and a holder for supporting theweight of the apparatus while in use, substantially as described.

3. A vacuum apparatus comprising telescopic sections, an air-tightconnection between the sections, means whereby the air may be exhaustedfrom the interior of the apparatus, and a combined holder for supportingthe weight of the apparatus when in use and lock for securing thesections in adjusted position, substantially as described.

4. A vacuum apparatus comprising telescopic sections, an air-tightconnection between the sections, means whereby the air may be exhaustedfrom the interior of the apparatus, and a combined holder for supportingthe weight of the apparatus when in use and lock for securing thesections in adjusted position, the same comprising vertically-aliuedguides on the sections, arms passing through said guides, means forlocking the arms in the guides, and means intermediate of said arms andcarried thereby for "attachment to a support, substantially asdescribed.

5. A vacuum apparatus having an adjustable bottom comprising curvedpieces adapted to overlap at their ends to form an opening of desiredsize therebetween, and means for securing the parts in position,substantially as described.

6. A vacuum apparatus having an adj ustable bottom comprisi ng curvedpieces adapted to overlap at their ends to form an opening of desiredsize therebetween, means for securing the parts in position, and apacking secured to the inner surface and edges of the parts of thebottom, substantially as described.

7. A vacuum apparatus having a top provided with a central openinghaving a cutaway portion leading thereto, and means for adjusting thesize of the opening comprising a top piece adapted to overlie saidcut-away portion, and means for securing said section in adjustedposition, substantially as described.

8. A vacuum apparatus having a detachable top provided with a packing onits inner surface and with a central opening having a cut-away portionleading thereto, and means for adjusting the size of the openingcomprising a top piece adapted to overlie said cutaway portion, andmeans for securing said section in adjusted position, substantially asdescribed.

9. A vacuum apparatus having a top provided with a central openinghaving a cutaway portion leading thereto, means for adjusting the sizeof the opening comprising a top piece adapted to overlie said cut-awayportion, suitable packing surrounding the central opening and the edgeof the top piece,

and means for securing said section in adj usted position, substantiallyas described.

10. A vacuum apparatus having a top provided with a central openinghaving a cutaway portion leading thereto, means for adof said sectionshaving an adjustable central 15 opening, substantially as described.

13. A vacuum apparatus provided with an end section having a centralopening and an elastic edge adapted to fit into a peripheral grooveformed in the surface of the apparatus 20 near said end, substantiallyas-described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

LLOYD H. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

LEIGH CLARK,

MANFORD E. WILLIAMS.

